Luggage case and wheel set therefor

A luggage case including:

• a container defining a storage space defined by boundaries between a rear wall having sides connected to side walls and a rectangular luggage base with at least a long side edge and a short first edge having a first mounting point at a first end of the first edge and second mounting point at a second end of the first edge;
• a wheelset including at least a first omni-wheel located at the first end and a second omni-wheel located at the second end, the first and second omni-wheels having a main axle fixed relative to the luggage case and housed in widely spaced recesses at the first and second ends;
• the fixed main axle of the first and second omni-wheels being substantially parallel to a straight line extending between the first and second ends, and within boundaries of the luggage case that define the volume of space occupied by the container when considered in side projection;
• a handle comprising telescopic handle arms being housed in widely spaced channels at the sides of the rear wall;
• the first and second omni-wheels being housed in wheel arches at the extreme ends of the short first edge, optimizing storage space within the luggage case;
• the portion of the first and second omni-wheels and the wheel arches in which they are housed being within:
• the boundaries of the side projection;
• and the footprint of the luggage case when the wheels of the wheelset are in ground contact and the luggage base is substantially parallel to the ground:
• wherein the rear wall is narrow compared to the width of the wide side walls;
• wherein the first edge is a short first edge that is short compared to the long side edge;
• and wherein the first side is between 40%-70% of the length of the second side.

Use of a luggage case including hauling the luggage case across a ground or floor surface by a handle, the luggage case having:

• a container including a storage space defined by boundaries between a rear wall having extreme sides connected to side walls and a luggage base with at least a first edge having a first mounting point being a first wheel recess housing a portion of a first omni wheel at a first extreme end of the first edge and second mounting point being a first wheel recess housing a portion of a first omni wheel at a first extreme end of the first edge and second mounting point being a second wheel recess housing a portion of a second omni wheel at a second extreme end of the first edge the first and second omni wheels having a fixed main axle relative to the luggage case, a handle comprising telescopic handle arms that are each housed in widely spaced channels at the extreme sides of the rear wall;
• wherein the portions of the first and second omni-wheels, their respective main axle and the recesses in which they are housed are within:
• the general footprint of the case when the first and second omni-wheels are in ground contact and the luggage base is substantially parallel to the ground;
• and boundaries of the luggage case that define the volume of space occupied by the container when considered in side projection;
• the fixed main axle of each of the first and second omni-wheels being substantially parallel to a straight line extending between the first and second ends, the first and second omni-wheels maintain load stability and directional control whilst permitting a lateral rolling motion, and the first side is between 40%-70% of the length of the second side.

A method of manufacturing a luggage case, comprising the steps of:

• forming a container that has a storage space defined by boundaries between a luggage base, wide side walls and a narrow rear wall having extreme sides connected to the side walls, and the luggage base including a first edge at a base of the narrow rear wall, the narrow rear wall being between 40%-70% of the width of the wide sidewalls mounting a pair of omni-wheels including a first and a second omni-wheel, in recesses at the extreme sides of the first edge, the first omni-wheel mounted in a first recess of the recesses at a first extreme end of the first edge and the second omni-wheel mounted in a second recess of the recesses at a second extreme end of the first edge;
• the recesses being first and second multidirectional wheels in wheel arches that are within the general footprint of the luggage case when the first and second omni-wheels are in ground contact and the luggage base is substantially parallel to the ground, the first and second omni-wheels having a main axle fixed relative to the luggage case, the main axle is being substantially parallel to an imaginary line extending between the first and second ends, whereby the main axle is within boundaries of the luggage case that define a volume of space occupied by the intersection of the container when considered in side projection and the footprint;
• and mounting a handle with telescopic handle arms that are housed in widely spaced channels at the extreme sides of the rear wall despite the location of the first and second recesses;
• and maintaining load stability and directional control whilst permitting a lateral rolling motion.